1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety devices and, more particularly, to rail and handle systems for beds.
2. Description of Related Art
Protective rail systems are known that are affixed to the sides of a bed to prevent a baby, child, or someone having diminished motor control from falling out of bed. Typically these rail systems, such as those on hospital-type beds, must be raised when the person is in the bed and lowered when he or she wishes to arise. This raising and lowering generally must be performed by a second person standing by the side of the bed.
Bedside guard and rail systems designed to be used with non-hospital-type beds are also known in the art, such as those disclosed by Evers (U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,228), Beckwell (U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,454), Berlin (U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,799), and Howell et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,743). A common feature to these guards is that they comprise a unitary, centrally placed rail having an inverted U-shaped portion extending above the surface of the mattress and a stabilizing portions extending under the mattress, generally meeting the upwardly extending portion at right angles.
It has also been known that such rail systems may be covered or padded to prevent a portion of the body from slipping through the upwardly extending portion and also to present a more forgiving surface to the child or patient should he or she lean against the rail. Such covered or padded bedside guards are disclosed by Evers (U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,228), Arp (U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,545), Howell et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,743), Hunsinger et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,025), Marra, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,897), and Holder et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,663).